A third man has been arrested by detectives investigating the murder of Danny McKay in Newtownabbey last week.

The 36-year-old father-of-one was gunned down at his home in the Longlands estate in north Belfast on Thursday.

He was shot several times, including once in the face.

On Sunday a 28-year-old man was arrested by police investigating his murder. He was being questioned at Antrim Serious Crime Suite on Sunday night.

Two other men — aged 41 and 50 — who were arrested on Saturday remain in police custody.

Dissident republicans have been blamed for the murder of Mr McKay, who was shot multiple times in his home while children were playing outside on the street.

Police confirmed that they are investigating a possible drugs link to the killing and said that they will also be looking into Mr McKay’s activities as part of their inquiry.

At least two armed men were involved in the attack.

Mr McKay’s body was discovered slumped over a sofa by his fiancee who had been in the shop next door when she heard gunshots coming from the direction of their house.

Less than two hours before he was gunned down, five masked men entered a house at Dunore Court in the New Lodge area of north Belfast.

The gang then forced the occupant of the house to hand over his car, a silver Volkswagen Bora.

It’s believed that the gunmen used the stolen car to travel to and from the murder scene. It was found burnt out in the west of the city around 20 minutes after the shooting.

Police have reissued their appeal for anyone who saw the silver-coloured Volkswagen Bora with registration number KLZ 9787 in either the Belfast or Newtownabbey areas on Thursday to contact them.

They are also keen to speak with anyone who may have seen a dark-coloured saloon car being driven in a suspicious manner in the Longlands area of Newtownabbey in the days leading up to Mr McKay’s murder.

Speaking in the days following the shooting, the PSNI officer leading the murder hunt said that what had happened was a “brutal and ruthless attack which has no place in society”.

Detective Chief Inspector John McVea also added that Mr McKay was known to police, but stressed that “whatever Daniel did in his life, nothing justifies this action against him”.